Guyana yet to adopt transparency, good governance counsel it received during oil conference – Ferguson

Nov 30, 2022 News

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Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana is yet to adopt the counsel it received from key leaders in the oil and gas sector, it was conferred with while hosting the inaugural International Energy Conference and Expo in February of this year.

Be that as it may, the country is making preparations to host a second event next year, even though Guyanese have no reason to celebrate since the initial conference. This is according to former Minister under the Coalition administration, Annette Ferguson.

Ferguson, who presently serves as an Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) said in a public letter that World Leaders inclusive of the Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, President of Suriname,  Chandrikapersad Santokhi and President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had offered advice on how the sector should be managed.

“Prime Minister Mia Mottley was very clear that Guyanese ought not to be treated as “tenants” in their own country,” Ferguson said while adding that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his presentation said, “To ensure energy sustainability, it is critical that we balance carefully social, economic and environmental benefits in a continuously changing world”.

The MP pointed out a specific quote from the Ghanaian leader who added, “no energy project therefore, no matter how high its return in value, is worth it if the interests of some or majority of the stakeholders are not properly represented, and they are left impoverished and dissatisfied.”

To this end, she reasoned that if one were to reflect on the concerns and advice of these presenters, it would be realized that “nothing significant” has been done to-date by the government to ensure that Guyanese become the greatest beneficiary from the country’s oil and gas wealth.

According to her, “There are many questions the PPP/C regime must provide answers for. It is approximately 10 months since the first Conference in February 2022, what is there for Guyanese to celebrate? Where is the transparency and accountability of the resources from this sector?”

Ferguson also pointed out her strong belief that the amendments made to the 2019 Natural Resource Fund is highly flawed. For instance, the former Minister argued that the 22 member body, which was installed to provide oversight functions of the funds from the sector, was downsized, while the new Committee is yet to present its plans regarding “national developmental projects” and other expenditure to be funded by the proceeds from oil revenue.

She said, “What Guyanese have witnessed, over the last year, is the total mismanagement of the oil resources, discrimination and victimization faced by some ethnic groups and vulnerable segments of the society, in the distribution of cash grants and awarding of contracts.”

As such, Ferguson contended that the February 2023 Conference will be no different. “Rather it will be another event full of presentations by well-intentioned eminent guest speakers, propaganda and empty promises by the PPP/C Government and its partisan collaborators,” she said.

Guyana’s second International Energy Conference and Expo will be held from February 14, 2023 and conclude on February 17, 2023. The forum will be hosted under the theme ‘Harnessing Energy for Development’.

The inaugural Conference was held earlier this year at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston between February 15 and 18 and was themed ‘Charting a Sustainable Energy Future’. Speakers and other participants primarily focused on renewable energy and the importance of the sector not negatively affecting the citizens.

Speakers confirmed for next year’s event from the oil and gas sector include Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hess Corporation, John Hess and President of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions Company, Dan Ammann.

Locally, President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, Head of the Gas to Energy and Amaila Falls Hydro projects, Winston Brassington, Head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr. Mahendar Sharma, Head of the Local Content Secretariat, Martin Pertab and Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram are confirmed participants for next year’s conference.

The conference is being hosted to allow energy professionals around the world to connect in Guyana to facilitate exchange of ideas, propositions, and plans for fundamental advances in the sector.

Participating companies at the conference will tackle important concerns affecting the energy sector, as well as challenges of climate change mitigation and maximizing the benefits of local content development in Guyana and the Region.

A few of the sponsors of the upcoming conference include GTT Business Solutions, Hess Corporation, the Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI), Technip FMC, Premier Insurance and Weatherford.

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